CERT Update
Salem CERT's 6-week disaster training begins Sept 10 at Fire Station #6, ending with an Oct 17 drill. The program covers first aid, rescue, and fire safety to prepare citizens for real crises.
By Mark Wardell for The West Side Newspaper
Salem CERT Needs You!
Yes, we’ve been here before, but this time it’s for real. The next CERT training series is officially scheduled to begin this September. This program is designed to turn your natural concern for our community into practical, life-saving action. We don’t just hand you a thick manual and wish you luck; we walk you through the essential, hands-on skills needed to manage a crisis effectively until professional help can arrive.
The curriculum is comprehensive, covering the foundations of personal preparedness and team organization. Throughout the course, you’ll learn the mechanics of disaster medical operations — including triage and basic first aid, alongside "utility controls" and fire safety techniques that can prevent a manageable situation from turning into a catastrophe. We also explore the realities of light search and rescue, the complexities of disaster psychology, and how CERT fits into the broader picture of community safety, including terrorism awareness.
The journey begins Thursday evening, September 10th, and continues every Thursday for a total of six weeks: September 17th and 24th, followed by October 1st, 8th, and 15th. Each session runs from 6:00 to 8:30(ish) p.m. at the Fire Station #6 Training Room (2740 25th Street SE). To bring everything you’ll learn together, the series concludes with an exciting, hands-on mock drill on Saturday morning, October 17th, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, followed immediately by our class graduation.
To become a member of CERT, you must attend all sessions. This ensures everyone is fully prepared to work together when the time comes. We provide the training and the tools; all we’re missing is you. Preregistration is required. If you have questions about the registration process, please contact Lola Hackett at RosesAndCats55@yahoo.com.
Deployment Exercise Success
On Saturday, May 30th, Salem CERT participated in a massive deployment exercise coordinated alongside Portland NET (their version of CERT) and our own West Salem Team. The scale of the event was impressive, with over 300 CERT and NET members signing up from across the state. Participating teams traveled from Happy Valley, Tigard, Yamhill County, Woodburn, Cannon Beach, Nehalem Bay, and South Lincoln County to train together.
During the exercise, we simulated a localized response to a major earthquake. Here in West Salem, our team managed 37 different "injects," plausible, real-world scenarios we could face during a disaster. This included performing simulated triage and first aid for more than 35 "survivors" who volunteered for the drill. In our after-action debrief, the consensus among our members was clear: we gained invaluable insight into what a real deployment looks like and learned firsthand how to manage multiple competing priorities at once. It was an incredible learning experience, and we are already looking forward to doing it again this fall.
Contact Information
If you have questions about this article, general emergency preparedness, or would like to inquire about joining CERT, please contact me, Mark Wardell, at PNMarkW2@gmail.com. I am also available to schedule preparedness presentations for your group, including HOAs, neighborhood groups, and communities of faith. You can also find more information about our city-wide efforts by visiting SalemOregonCERT.org.
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